The Dam Busters (1955)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book)
Guy Gibson (book)

Release Date:

16 July 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

The dramatic true-life story of the men who broke the Nazis' back!

Plot:

True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | Scientist | Dam | Flood | Bomber

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Richard Todd	...	Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Michael Redgrave	...	Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans	...	Mrs. Wallis
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Stanley Van Beers	...	Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
Colin Tapley	...	Doctor W.H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Frederick Leister	...	Committee Member
Eric Messiter	...	Committee Member
Laidman Browne	...	Committee Member
Raymond Huntley	...	Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning	...	Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
Patrick Barr	...	Captain Joseph 'Mutt' Summers, C.B.E.
Edwin Styles	...	Observer at trials
Hugh Moxey	...	Observer at trials
Anthony Shaw	...	R.A.F. Officer at trials

Also Known As:

The Dambusters (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

124 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Norway:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #17528) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

Memory of the war was still quite fresh in British minds when the movie was released in 1954. The excitement and interest generated were such that, exceptionally, the Royal Command Performance of the movie had to be repeated the following night. Frank Phillips was present and read the official announcement of the raid, as he had done on radio in 1943 and in the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The train showing being derailed by the flood is running on the left-hand track. British trains do run on the left, but German ones run on the right.

Quotes:

Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane: [showing Gibson a model of the targets] Well, Gibson, there it is. That's your main target - the Moehne Dam.
Gibson: So *that's* it. I thought it was going to be the "Tirpitz".
Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane: If you can blow a hole in this wall...
[points to model]
Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane: -you'll bring the Ruhr steel industry to a standstill; and do much other damage besides. I'm showing you the targets. But you'll be the only man in the squadron who knows, so keep it that way.
Gibson: Very good, sir.
Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane: [indicates other models] And these are the models of the two other dams, the Eder and the Sorpe. But, the Moehne is the most important one.
Gibson: I see, sir.
Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane: Come along and study these as often as you like. We're having regular reconnaissance to see what they're doing over there and what's the height of the water. The operation must be carried out when the lakes are full.
Gibson: When's that likely to be, sir?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Dam Busters

Classic Untouchable War Film

The Dambusters is a true story in which the men of 617 Squadron (originally Squadron X) are sent to bomb three key dams in the Ruhr Valley with the famous bouncing bomb. The film shows the young bomber crews training and eventually the mission itself. Many people have said that this raid was a waste of human life and resources but war IS a waste of human life and resources and these men gave the UK a boost in morale and made the Germans realize we weren't beat yet. Apparently Mel Gibson wanted to recreate this movie some years ago but did not get the backing of the MoD,the BBMF or 617 Squadron. With fantastic performances from Richard Todd as Guy Gibson and Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis this is a classic film.